Just like the rest of your body, your hair relies on nutrients to grow and thrive. A balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients is essential for maintaining healthy hair follicles and promoting optimal hair growth. When your body lacks these nutrients, however, it can lead to various hair problems – including dullness, breakage, and even hair loss.

There are a multitude of different hair structures that can be found all over the planet. Straight, bendy, curly or coils – thin, or thick. And though a lot of people are oftentimes a bit unhappy with the hairy cards they have been dealt, we figure that almost everyone would agree that especially a lustrous, dense mane is often seen as one of the main symbols of vitality and beauty. And while countless hair care products promise to deliver shiny, strong locks, the secret to achieving truly healthy hair may lie in something much simpler: your diet. As so often!

What Are the Key Nutrients for Healthy Hair?

Our hair is primarily made up of a protein called keratin, so it’s no surprise that protein is essential for maintaining strong and healthy hair as a result. Include sources of lean protein in your diet, such as chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, and legumes to support it! And as protein is a great source to promote the overall health of basically every part of your body, especially the muscles – it’s really two birds with one stone here.

Similarly, Omega-3 fatty acids are known for their anti-inflammatory properties, which can help nourish the scalp and promote the growth of our hair. Things like salmon, walnuts, chia seeds, and flax seeds include a great deal of it and will naturally make your hair shinier and more resilient.

Several vitamins and minerals play key roles in promoting hair health, too – including vitamins A, E, C, B7 (biotin), and zinc. That’s quite a bunch! If you struggle with getting the needed amount each day, there are some handy hair vitamins available that you can simply add to your daily routine.

Which Foods Promote Hair Health?

In addition to the mentioned above, some other superfoods can promote healthy hair, too! Have a look:

Dark Leafy Greens

Especially greens like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are incredibly rich in vitamins A and C, which help produce sebum – that’s our scalp’s natural oil – to keep our hair moisturised and shiny.

Berries of all sorts!

All of them! Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are simply packed with antioxidants that help protect hair follicles from damage caused by free radicals.

Nuts and Seeds

Almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and zinc – all of which, if you remember, contribute to your overall hair health and growth.

Fatty Fish

Now, fish does not always automatically equal fish – and for hair, especially salmon, mackerel, and sardines are fantastic food and an alternative to nuts to get the important omega-3 fatty acids in.

Eggs. Always eggs.

Gosh, don’t you just love eggs? They seem to be the solution for everything. And hair is no exception. As a great source of protein, biotin, and other essential nutrients, it’s just simply too perfect for growth and strong hair follicles.

Doesn’t this all sound a lot like what you would find in an article promoting a healthy diet? Well, that’s because it is. In the end, it always comes down to that. While hair care products can certainly help with improving the appearance of your hair – true hair starts from within. Always. Nourish your body right, and it’ll thank you with stronger, shinier hair from the inside out.